After years of official silence, the Cuban regime began to receive in Havana the remains of the 32 soldiers who died in Venezuela, now presented as "fallen fighters," in a series of carefully organized tributes by the State and replicated in various locations across the country.
The scenes broadcast by the official press and state institutions display a sense of solemnity and control, centering around the funeral procession escorted by motorized troops, coffins draped with the Cuban flag traveling through the main avenues of the capital, honor guards, and ceremonies at military venues, while the official narrative speaks of heroism, sacrifice, and the defense of sovereignty.
In the images, the presence of family members is nearly invisible. Instead, there is a predominance of uniformed military personnel, cadets, officials, employees from ministries and state companies, airport staff, and groups of civilians mobilized institutionally, many holding flags and positioned along the route. They do not appear to be spontaneous crowds, but organized contingents, summoned to accompany a political event rather than a private mourning.
The central event took place at the runway of José Martí International Airport, from where the transfer to the headquarters of the Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces (MINFAR) occurred, where the coffins were lined up under portraits and floral tributes, guarded by honor troops.
Everything unfolds under an epic narrative that insists on the idea of "fallen in battle," without explaining why, for years, the regime itself denied the presence of Cuban military personnel in Venezuela or publicly reported on these deaths.
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